Reflections on Childcare Across Systems

Abstract

There are major differences within each of the systems between the phenomenology, aetiology and treatments. The core concepts remain the same. Some of the key themes in the childcare systems that are common are qualities of a child physician, embryology, care of the mother and the child as a symbiotic unit, salience of breast milk, rites of passage, childcare systems, scientific methodology, prognosis or predictions. Most importantly, the care and healing practices are anchored to the folk medicine, religious, social and magical practices. Because of these differences in the contexts of childcare, there are a number of dissimilarities among the four systems, especially in childcare practices.